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How to Adjust Toilet Lift Chains

A significant number of people have reported issues with their toilets. Some have to hold down their toilet handles for their toilets to flush all the way. This is one of the most common causes of frustrations when using a toilet. However, dealing with this problem is quite easy. There is a chain inside the toilet that connects the flushing handle to the flapper. The flapper is a covering that is normally at the top of the tank where water flows out. The chain can be adjusted to control the amount of water flushed in a toilet.

The chain should preferably be moderately loose. However, the flapper may not come up all the way when the handle is pushed if the chain is too loose. In addition, a loose chain may not allow the flapper to rest all the way down. To deal with this problem, you need to adjust the chain.

  1. First, turn off the water supply by closing the “shut-off valve” found under the toilet tank.
  2. Stop the water flow by turning the valve clockwise.
  3. Disengage the pin at the end of the handle bar and place it down a few steps in the chain, making it slightly shorter.
  4. Return the “pin” or “hook” onto the end of the handle. You will also have to turn your toilet shut-off valve back on and let the tank fill up.
  5. Check to see if the adjustment did the trick. If not, try to adjust the chain a little more.

In addition, find out how the flapper is fixed to the tank. The flapper should have either a “ring” or an “ears” attachment. The ears should be on both sides of the tube inside the toilet. The tube allows water to go down when the toilet is filling up. Make sure the flapper is attached to the tube inside the toilet.

Kevin L. Sharp